Things Always Get Better
by WiseGryffindor
Summary: Prompts, Use the title of a story written by your Beater 2 for inspiration (the lost always return), every cloud has a silver lining, Forbidden Forest, and "Do you mind if we stop for a minute?" Luna and Neville get dropped in the Forbidden Forest, without their wands by Death Eaters.


**Prompts, Use the title of a story written by your Beater 2 for inspiration (the lost always return), every cloud has a silver lining, Forbidden Forest, and "Do you mind if we stop for a minute?"**

 _Luna and Neville get dropped in the Forbidden Forest, without their wands by Death Eaters._

"Look whom we have here, Longbottom and Lovegood. The two most useless Order of Phoenix members," Lucius Malfoy said to the snatchers that were holding the pair. Both were struggling violently.

"Petrificus totalus!" Lucius shouted, freezing the pair.

"Take them to the Forbidden Forest, then write a note telling their friend that they are in the Forbidden Forest, and give me their wands as well as any spare wands they have on them," Lucius said in a no-nonsense tone. The snatchers handed Lucius four wands, Neville's, Luna's, and two others before Apparating away.

Neville appeared on the ground still unable to move with Luna nowhere in sight. Luna appeared about fifteen feet above the ground and landed with a thud and a loud crack. Looking around, Neville could see that they were in a clearing that was probably a five-foot circle. There were thick trees around them. The only sounds Neville could hear was his and Luna's breathing. Neville could tell Luna was in pain because of the pained look on her face and that her ankle was bent unnaturally. After about five minutes Neville was able to move again. He ran over to Luna. Gently Neville ran his hand over her ankle. Luna hissed in pain.

"Luna, I need to set your ankle and then splint it, okay?" Neville said, glad he had taken a healing course from St. Mungo's over the summer. Neville quickly found some suitable sticks. Neville took off his shirt and ripped it into strips. He gave one of the strips to Luna to bite on so she would not bite her tongue. In one quick movement, Neville set Luna's ankle. Neville gently lifted Luna's ankle and placed a piece of wood under it. In record time Neville fashioned a splint out of his shirt and some sticks. Neville gently lifted Luna and set her on a log beside the clearing.

"Luna I am going to look for help," Neville told Luna.

"No please don't leave me by myself, what if you never come back?" Luna said.

"Okay," Neville agreed. He grabbed a long stick and broke it in half. From the two pieces of the stick, he made makeshift crutches. Together the pair set off. Once they left the clearing the forest came alive. Neville carefully looked for tracks that might lead them home. Looking closer at the trees Neville could see that they were trees only found in the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts. Neville smiled at this then frowned, his only experience with the Forbidden Forest was in his first year, with Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Draco.

"I believe we are in the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts," Neville told Luna. They were one step closer than before. Neville could see that the sun was setting which gave him an idea! The Forbidden Forest was on the west side of Hogwarts. The sun sets in the west which means if they are in the Forbidden Forest they needed to go away from the sun! Neville quickly explained this to Luna. Gradually Neville and Luna started walking away from the sun. Soon enough they could now not see the sun and only had little light. Neville quickly found some sticks and logs he could use to start a fire. The only problem has he had no fire.

"Why not try wandless magic?" Luna said. Neville focused on Incendio, repeating the spell in his mind over and over again. When that did not work he started moving his hand in the wand movement. This caused a spark which was nowhere near enough to start a fire. Still, he could only produce the occasional spark. At this point, Neville gave up. They spent the night huddling together to conserve heat. They did not sleep very well.

"Things always get better," Luna heard Neville whispering to himself in his sleep.

The next morning when Neville and Luna got up their stomachs were grumbling. Neville left Luna with a promise that he would come back. Neville looked carefully at the plants he had found while scavenging making sure that none of them were poisonous. When he returned Luna was in the same place as when he left.

"We had better get a move on," Neville said to Luna, handing her a couple of edible roots he had found. Neville looked at the sun then turned away walking with his back to the sun. Together the pair walked in sync only stopping to give Luna a break and when Neville found some edible roots.

"Do you mind if we stop for a minute," Neville said. He had this feeling that they were being watched by something. Neville looked around, his eyes darting around from tree to tree looking for the tiniest movement. At last, he saw it. Looking closer he could see it was a centaur. The centaur galloped off. Luna and Neville decided to take a break. Once again Neville tried conjuring fire. Like last time he failed but he did get closer. Once again, when they set off Neville gave Luna some roots. Soon it was dark again.

"Try imagining how the fire feels and how it looks," Luna said. Neville imagined feeling the fire on his hand. He imagined the warmth, the brightness, he imagined a small fire burning on the wood he collected. Neville opened his eyes when he saw something bright through his eyelids. Luna smiled at him and said, "See you can do it. You can do anything you put your mind too."

That night they were warm, not freezing like the last. They both slept contently. Having dreams of winning the war and marrying. This day was much like the last. They spent it walking, scavenging, and looking for trails, but one thing was different. They laughed and talked. Before they knew it, it was becoming dark again, so they stopped and sat down. Luna looked into the woods and saw a bunch of tiny lights peeking out through the trees. She quickly pointed it out to Neville. Together they decided to keep on going, to get home tonight. It was tiring. Both felt as if they could collapse but they kept on going. The lights gradually getting bigger and brighter giving them hope. They could finally see the Hogwarts grounds. It looked beautiful because the sun was just beginning to rise. Light glinting off the windows, going through the stands, but the most beautiful thing Neville could see was right beside him.


End file.
